Clip



W. R. WILEY Feb. 28, 1939.

CLIP

Filed Nov. 9, 193e h55 in which the same is used; ly seen, serves to provide convenient means for 55 Patented Feb. 28, 1939 Y v U-NiTEDsTATl-:s PAT-ENT OFFICE CLIP William B. Wiley, Detroit, Mich.

Application November 9, 1936, Serial No. 109,924

2 Claims. (Cl. 24-259) The present invention relates to clips. More Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a clip embodying particularly, Jit relates -to a novel and extremely the inventive features of the present application; simple form of clip construction which will i'lnd Fig. 4 is a fragmentary transverse sectional practical utility for securing listing strips to the view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating in detail a 5 top of a vehicle such as are conventionally used modied form of the invention and the manner in 5 for the purpose of supporting the fabric inner trim which the same is mounted; material interiorly of the roof of the vehicle. Fig. 5 is a perspective vview of the modiiled form Many and various different means have been of'clip shown in section in Fig. 4; utilized heretofore forsecuring listing strips in Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a still further 10 position andit is a primary object of the present modiiled form of the invention illustrating a clip l0 invention to provide a construction for securing having a modified type of gripping means;

such listingstrips which is extremely permanent, y Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional View through a simple, cheap to manufacture,"and one which portion of the vehicle top similar to Figs. 3 and 4 greatly facilitates the convenient installation of illustrating a modified form of means for mountthe inner trim material within a vehicle body. i118' the clips 0f the present invention. 15

.The clips forming the subject matter of the With more particular reference to the drawing, present invention, while having a number of feaand particularly to the form' of the invention tures in common, may be provided in either one shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 thereof, it will be seen of two diierent forms and are in each instance that while the clips of the present invention may adapted to secure the listing in predetermined find broad and practical utility in many and 20 position with respect to an arcuate transversely various diierent fields, the primary iield of appliextending bow member or4 similar structure discation for which the clips of the present invention posed interiorly of the roof oi the vehicle and are intended is that of anchoring strips of listing provide a convenient means for anchoring the in position in order to accurately and conveniently listing strips in position. mount the decorative fabric inner trim material 25 In one form, the present invention contem- `conventionally supported inwardly of the roof of plates the provision of a clip which includes a an automotive vehicle body. generally U-shaped body portion having means In the specific form of the invention disclosed, a for positively locking the clip in position upon the portion of a vehicle body top Iii is shown which,

marginal edge of a sheet metal member anchored as is conventional in constructions of this general 30 to the top and also includes a prong or pointed character, has closely adjacent the interior surprojection which may be used to impale the listing face thereof a relatively thick layer of brous strip to anchor the same in predetermined posisoundprooiing material II, which soundprooiing tion. material may be secured to the top panel I0 in a In another form, the present 'invention consubstantially conventional manner. At suitable 35 templates the construction of a clip which has intervals throughout the length of the top, transnot only means for anchoring the clip in position versely extending s heet metal strips I2 are prowith respect to the top but has an extending porvided which strips are anchored to the top by tion which provides convenient means for resilimeans of rivets I3 as shown, and in the construc- 40 ently clamping the listing strip between the clip tion shown in Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawing, these 40 and the member to which the clip is anchored. sheet metal strips I2 are secured interiorly of the Many other and further objects, advantages, soundproong material and anchored to the top and features of the present invention will become therethrough. In many instances these strips, clearly apparent from the folowing speciilcation mounted in the manner disclosed in the drawing,

when considered' in connection with the accommay be conveniently utilized for positively an- 45 panying drawing. choring the soundproong material II in pre- In the drawing: n determined position with respect to the sheet Figure 1 is a fragmentary interior view of a metal top panel III with which this soundproong portion of a vehicle top illustrating one form of material is associated. The strip of metal I2 is the improved clips utilized for the purpose of anonset to provide a projecting iiange I5 which ex- 50 ,choring inner trim material in position; tends in a direction substantially parallel to the Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view top panel I0 and is disposed in spaced relation taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. l illuswith respect to the surface of the soundproong trating in detail one form of clip and the manner material I I and. as will hereinafter be more clearanchoring the improved clips of the present in; vention.

The clips areeach preferably formed from a suitable substantially rectangular sheet of metal bent upon itself to provide a generally U shaped structure having arms I1 and I8 disposed substantially parallel to'each other and in spaced relation. The central portion of the sheet of metal from which the clip is formed is preferably cut out to provide a forwardly projecting prong 20 which prong extends a. substantial distance forwardly from the base of the U shaped member and, likewise, in substantially the same plane and in'continuation ofthe arm I8 of the U shaped portion of the clip. At the time the metal from the interior portion of the clip is cut out, a lug 22 is formed in this cut out portion integrally with the arms I1 of the U shaped member which lug is preferably bent downwardly at an angle to the plane in which the arm I1 of the U shaped member normally lies. The extreme marginal edges of -the arms I1 and I8 may be bent atangles to provide a diverging mouth for the U shaped portion of the clip to facilitate the mounting thereof, as will hereinafter become more clear.

The clip is preferably formed of relatively high carbon steel and is heat treated or tempered in order to materially increase its hardness and resiliency and is preferably hardened suiliciently so that it will be substantially harder than the flange I of the sheet metal strip I2 on which the clips are adapted to be mounted.

It will be clear that the clips may be conveniently inserted upon the projecting flange :I5 and that this flange will be received between the arms I1 and I8 of the U shaped member, the flanged ends of these arms serving to guide the flange between the arms at the time the clip is mounted in position. Due to the fact that the clip is formed of harder steel than the flange, after it has been inserted in position, the lug 22 will, in the event there is any tendency to displace the clip, dig into the metal of the flange thus positively locking the clip in position and virtually precluding relative movement thereof 'with respect to the flange. After the clips have been mounted in position, it will be seen that the prongs 20 thereof will project forwardly from the flange and provide sharp points on which a listing strip 25 may be impaled to secure the listing strip in predetermined position with respect to the vehicle top. As is conventionalin constructions of this general character, it is desirable to support the inner trim material 26 in position substantially spaced from the soundprooflng material and top panel of the vehicle and to maintain such inner trim material not only in predetermined position, but properly tensioned at all times. In order to achieve this end, the listing strips 25 are usually stitched to the fabric trim material 26 by means of a line of stitching 21 and the listing strips are then impaled upon the projecting points or prongs 20 to secure the inner trim material in predetermined position.

Ihe present invention makes possible particularlyrsatisfactory installations of inner trim material because the workman installing the inner trim material is able to accurately tension the same to the predetermined desired tension and maintain such tension by impallng the listing strips upon the prongs. Furthermore, up un` til the time the listing strip is actually anchored in place, he has a definite feel of the tension which is imposed upon the listing and is, therefore, able to accurately tension the same.

In the modied form of the invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing, a somewhat modified form of clip construction is shown and it will be readily understood that due to the modification of this clip structure, it is essential that a somewhat modified transversely extending `now member be utilized. In this form of the invention a vehicle top 30 has a layer of soundprooflng material disposed over the inner surface thereof. Suitable transversely extending strips of metal 32 are disposed at longitudinal intervals throughout the length of the top and, as has been described above, these strips may be anchored'in position by means of suitable rivets 33 passing through the strips, soundproofing material, and anchored in the top 30 of the vehicle body. .The strips 32 are provided with relative wide oset flanges 34 which, when the strips are anchored in place, will inherently lie in spaced relation and parallel to the interior surface of the soundprooflng material 3|. The modified form of clip includes a vsheet metal member bent to substantially U 'shaped form to provide arms 36 and 31, one of which arms is substantially longer than the other. The arm 36 is provided with an upstruck lug 38 preferably located at the transverse center of the arm, which serves to anchor the clip in position upon the flange 3d in the manner described above. The leading edge 42 of arm 36 is also preferably flared outwardly, and the lug or tab 38 slopes inwardly and away from the flared edge. The arm 31 is offset at 39 in order that the majority of this' arm will, when thev clip is anchored upon the flange 36, lie in spaced relation with respect to this flange and lie in a plane more remote from the arm 36 than that portion of the arm 31 adjacent the base of the clip. The outer end 0f the arm 31 is dished downwardly and is cut out to provide an aperture 40 therein, the forward wall of the aperture being preferably preformed to provide a plurality of teeth 4I. The clip, as was the case in connection with the clips described above, is formed of relatively high carbon steel and after being stamped, are bent to the predetermined desired form and hardened. It will be seen that when the clip is anchored in position. as is shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, the teeth 4I will be resiliently and frictionally urged into engagement with the under surface of the flange 34 of the strip 32. It will further be seen that the lug 38 serves to firmly anchor the clip in predetermined position upon this ange. In this form of the invention, the fabric inner trim material 44 may have listing strips 45 secured thereto, the upper marginal edges of whichmay be inserted between the flange 34 and arm 31 of the clips thus firmly and frictionally locking the listing in predetermined desired position.

In Fig. 6 is shown a still further modified form of the invention which is quite similar to that just described. In this form, the clip comprises a U shaped member having arms 50 and5I substantially identical in construction to the arms 36 and 31 described above. The arm 50 corresponds to the arm 36 and preferably includes the flared edge 54, corresponding to the edge 40. The arm 50 has an upstruck lug 52, corresponding to the lug or tab 38, for locking the clip in predetermined position upon the flange with which it is associated. 'I'he arm 5I is also promisas vided with an odset Il so that the majorA portion of the arm lies in a plane more remote from the .arm 50 thanthat portion of the arm 5I adjacent the base oi the clip. The arm 5| is provided with an up-struck projection 53 which serves to frictionally engage the surface of the ilange on which the clip is mounted and provide means for irlctionally clamping the listing strip in position. As shown in Fig. 6, the projection 53 extends inwardly and away from the leading edge of arm 5i.

Figure 7 illustrates a modiiied form of a transversely extending strip which includes a channel member 60 directly secured to the top 8iv or the vehicle..l This channel member 60 has a laterally extending flange 82 on one side thereof which serves to provide a recess adapted to receive the marginal edge of a section of soundprooilng material 63. The opposite side of the channel member has a similar ilange 64 which serves to provide a similar recess on the opposite side of the strip and it is noted that the iiange 64 is offset to provide a clip receiving flange 65 disposed in spaced relation and paral lei to the soundproong material and serving to provide means for mounting a plurality of clips 66 similar in construction to those shown in Fig. 3. In this form of the invention, inner trim material 61 may have listing strips 88 stitched thereto and these listing strips may be impaled upon the projections of the clip 68.

It will be readily understood that the above described forms oi' the invention are merely illustrative of the generic inventive concept presented in the present application. Many other and further modicatlons thereof falling within the scope oi' the invention as deiined in the subioined claims will become clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A clip comprising a sheet metal member o f high carbon steel which is tempered and hardened, said member being of substantially U- shape to provide iirst and second arms, the leading edge of said first arm being outwardly flared, said ilrst arm having an integral inturned tab adjacent said outwardly ilared edge. said tab being located at the transverse center of said rst arm and sloping inwardly and away from said dared edge, said second arm having two portions, one of which is displaced outwardly to lie'in a plane more remote from said rst arm than the other portion, an integral inturned tab formed in said second portion of said second arm adjacent the leading edge thereof, said inturned tab sloping inwardly and away from the leading edge oi said second arm.

2. A clip for permanently securing an object to a backing member comprising a sheet metal member of high carbon steel which is tempered and hardened, said member being of substantially U-shape to provide ilrst and second arms, the leading edge of said ilrst arm having an outwardly ilared edge, said first arm having an inturned tab adjacentsaid outwardly ared edge, said tab being located at the transverse center of said first arm and sloping inwardly and away from said bent edge, said second arm having two portions, one of which is displaced outwardly to lie in a plane more remote from the said rst arm than the other portion, said second named portion having integral inwardly extending friction means thereon.

WILLIAM R. WILEY. 

